Kokomo Service Area raises $69,000 to support students and communities
Last Updated on May 1, 2026 by Cass County Communication Network
Record-breaking $614,421 donated statewide on Ivy Tech Day 2026
KOKOMO, Ind. – The fourth annual Ivy Tech Day – a 24-hour day of giving to support the greatest and most immediate needs of students attending Ivy Tech Community College – resulted in a record-breaking total of $614,421 in gifts from more than 3,100 alumni, friends, and partners statewide. Of that, more than 370 gifts accounted for the $69,000 raised for the students in the six-county Kokomo Service Area.
“We thank everyone who contributed to making this day such a big success,” said Allie Tomlinson, executive director of Development for the Kokomo Service Area, which includes Cass, Fulton, Howard, Miami, Pulaski and Tipton counties. “That brings the total raised over the past four years to more than $194,000 to support emergency services and scholarships for our students. What a record!”
At the statewide level, counting all 19 service areas, the four-year total now stands at more than $1.7 million.
“We are so proud to break our one-day giving record, and so grateful to our alumni, partners and friends for once again generously supporting our students in meaningful ways that will benefit our state,” said Dr. Marty Pollio, president of Ivy Tech Community College. “Their support will empower our students to reach goals that will strengthen our communities.”
Ivy Tech campuses across Indiana hosted events to celebrate successes; students, staff and faculty shared their stories about how Ivy Tech has impacted their lives; and community partners joined in with challenges, donated items, and matching funds.
Dr. Ethan Heicher, chancellor of the Ivy Tech Kokomo Service Area, said April 21 was an exciting and incredibly rewarding day. “Know that giving at this level makes a tremendous impact as we work to assure our students can achieve their educational goals,” he continued. “Thank you to faculty, staff, alumni, retirees, community donors, board members and sponsors for making this day such a success!”
Ivy Tech’s importance to the state of Indiana continues to grow. The College contributes $4.8 million annually to Indiana’s economy. More than four in five of its graduates stay in Indiana to live and work and more than four in five leave Ivy Tech without student loan debt. Nearly 100,000 high school students are taking dual credit courses, giving them a jump start on their college work. Ivy Tech has more than 14,000 apprenticeships, the largest program in the country.
Ivy Tech offers diverse opportunities for more than 210,000 students that are directly tied to Indiana’s dynamic economy, including pharmaceutical manufacturing, early childhood education, cybersecurity, and a leading two-year nursing program that awards more associate degrees than any other institution in the United States.
SOURCE: News release from Ivy Tech Community College Kokomo Service Area